| Gordon Burford | |
| Birth Date: | 1919 8, df=yes |
| Birth Place: | Adelaide, South Australia |
| Death Place: | Queensland, Australia |
| Nationality: | Australian |
| Known For: | model aircraft engine design and manufacture Sports administrator |
Gordon Burford (3 August 1919 – 12 March 2010) was an Australian model aircraft engine designer and manufacturer. He was Australia's premier model engine builder.[1] He produced thousands of engines of many different designs including the GeeBee, Sabre, GloChief and Taipan brands. Gordon was also a respected aeromodeler starting with Free Flight at a young age prior to World War II before pioneering in Control line after the war.
After the war ended, importation into Australia of model engines was difficult and expensive due to Australia's remoteness to the rest of the world. Gordon saw an opportunity of manufacturing his own engines for the Australian market. His first engine, produced in 1946, was the Gee Bee, a 5cc diesel motor based on the Sparey 5cc diesel design that had been recently published in England.
What was to follow was a long pedigree of diesel and glow engines from 1cc up to 10cc displacement until Gordon retired in 1974 and handed the business to his son Peter. Gordon then directed his energy into the interest of Australian aeromodelers by taking on the position of Federal Secretary and Treasurer of the Model Aeronautical Association of Australia (MAAA). Gordon Burford died on 12 March 2010, following a fall at his home in Currumbin Queensland.
Gee Bee[2] Gordon's first engines.
| Year | Name | Size | Type | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1946 | GB1 | 5cc | Diesel | Based on the Sparey 5cc diesel | |
| 1947 | GB2 | 5cc | Diesel | Based on the American Drone engine | |
| 1949 | Gee Bee Stuntmota MkIII | 5cc | Diesel or Glowplug | Based on the American Drone engine | |
| 1950 | Gee Bee 50 | 5cc | Diesel | New design | |
| 1950 | Gee Bee 50G | 5cc | Glow | Glow version | |
| 1950 | Gee Bee 75 | 7.5cc | Glow | Bored out GB50G |
Sabre was the name Gordon chose for his engines, but was threatened with legal action in 1956 by North American Aviation who built the F-86 Sabre jet. Gordon decided not to use the name anymore, rather than go through a costly legal battle. [3]
| Year | Name | Size | Type | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950 | Mk 1 Sabre 2.5cc | 2.5cc | Diesel | Inspired by the 1949 Elfin 2.49 and OK Cub 049 | |
| 1951 | Mk 2 Sabre 250 | 2.5cc | Diesel | Improved crankcase design | |
| 1951 | Sabre 150 | 1.5cc | Diesel | Small production run | |
| 1951 | Sabre 49 | 8cc | Glow | Based on the Atwood Triumph | |
| 1952 | Sabre 29 Mk 1 | 5cc | Glow | Inspired by the Veco 29 | |
| 1952 | Sabre 19 | 3.27cc | Glow | Inspired by K&B 19 | |
| 1953 | Mk 3 Sabre 2.5cc | 2.5cc | Diesel | New crankcase design | |
| 1955 | Mk 4 Sabre 2.5cc | 2.5cc | Diesel | Improved design | |
| 1955 | Sabre 35 | 6cc | Glow | Inspired by the K&B 25 "green head" Same bore and stroke as Fox 35 |
Glo Chief was the name originally chosen as a replacement for Sabre for the larger Glow plug engines. Gordon later decided to use Taipan for all his engine designs.
| Year | Name | Size | Type | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1957 | Mk 1 Glo Chief 29 & 35 | 5cc and 6cc | Glow | Copy of the Fox 29 and Fox 35 | |
| 1958 | Mk 2 Glo Chief 29 & 35 | 5cc and 6cc | Glow | Reverts to Sabre/Taipan styling. | |
| 1959 | Mk 2 Glo Chief 29 & 35 | 5cc and 6cc | Glow | Larger crank, flared venturi | |
| 1959 | Glo Chief 49 | 8cc | Glow | 1959 & 1961 Gold Trophy Winner | |
| 1960 | Glo Chief 19 | 3.27cc | Glow | First engine with RC Throttle | |
| ~1961 | Mk 3 Glo Chief 29 Prototype | 5cc | Glow | never made it to production | |
| 1963 | Mk 4 Glo Chief 29 & 35 BR | 5cc and 6cc | Glow | Ball race crankshaft mounting. | |
| 1964 | Mk 5 Glo Chief 29 | 5cc | Glow | Change in crankcase design | |
| 1965 | Mk 5 Glo Chief 36 | 6cc | Glow | Unbranded crankcase |
Taipan is the brand name that is synonymous with the name Gordon Burford. Hundreds of thousands of these engines were produced and sold worldwide.
| Year | Name | Size | Type | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1956 | Taipan 29 Mk 1 | 5cc | Glow | Basically a Sabre 29 Mk 2 with name removed but hasa "Drop In Sleeve" cylinder with Aluminium Fins | |
| 1956 | Taipan 35 | 6cc | Glow | Basically a Sabre 35 with name removed but has a "Drop In Sleeve" cylinder with Aluminium Fins | |
| 1956 | Mk 1 Taipan 2.5cc diesel | 2.5cc | Diesel | Carry over from Sabre 2.5 Mk 4. | |
| 1957 | Mk 2 Taipan 2.5cc Diesel | 2.5cc | Diesel | New design based on the Frog 2.49. | |
| 1958 | Mk 3 Taipan 2.5cc Diesel | 2.5cc | Diesel | Reverts to earlier format threaded assemblies. | |
| 1958 | Mk 1 Taipan 1.5cc Diesel | 1.5cc | Diesel | Smaller version of the Mk 3 Taipan 2.5cc diesel. | |
| 1959 | Mk 4 Taipan 2.5cc Diesel | 2.5cc | Diesel | Ball Bearing engine design for team racing. | |
| 1959 | Taipan 3.5cc R/C Diesel | 3.5cc | Diesel | Intended for Radio-controlled airplane use | |
| 1960 | Mk 5 Taipan 2.5cc Diesel | 2.5cc | Diesel | Improved porting. | |
| 1961 | Mk 2 Taipan 1.5cc Diesel | 1.5cc | Diesel | New design inspired by Davies Charlton engines. | |
| 1961 | Mk 6 Taipan 2.5cc Diesel | 2.5cc | Diesel | Ball race engine. | |
| 1962 | Mk 1 Taipan 2.5cc Glow | 2.5cc | Glow | 1st 2.5cc Glow engine | |
| 1963 | Mk 1 Taipan 1.5cc Glow | 1.5cc | Glow | Influenced by the OK glowplug line of engines | |
| 1963 | Mk 3 Taipan 1.5cc Diesel | 1.5cc | Diesel | Integral fuel tank similar looking to OK Cub | |
| 1963 | Mk 7 Taipan "Sport" 2.5cc Diesel | 2.5cc | Diesel | Plain bearing engine. | |
| 1964 | Mk 2 Taipan 2.5cc Glow | 2.5cc | Glow | Resembles Fox 15X engine | |
| 1965 | Mk 8 Taipan "Series 65" 2.5cc Diesel | 2.5cc | Diesel | New cylinder style. | |
| 1965 | Taipan 1cc Diesel | 1cc | Diesel | Smallest diesel | |
| 1966 | Mk 4 Taipan 1.5cc "66 Series" Diesel | 1.5cc | Diesel | Based on the 1965 2.5cc Diesel | |
| 1967 | Mk 2 Taipan 1.5cc "Series 67" Glow | 1.5cc | Glow | Resembles Cox Medallion .09 | |
| 1967 | Mk 5 Taipan 1.5cc "Series 67" Diesel | 1.5cc | Diesel | First ball race engine | |
| 1967 | Mk 9 Taipan "Series 67" Taipan 2.5cc Diesel | 2.5cc | Diesel | Competition engine | |
| 1967 | Taipan 19 "Series 67" Glow | 3.27cc | Glow | PB and BR versions available | |
| 1968 | Mk 3 Taipan 2.5cc "Series 68" Glow | 2.5cc | Glow | Lightning Bolt model | |
| 1968 | Mk 10 Taipan "Series 68" 2.5cc Diesel | 2.5cc | Diesel | Ball race engine. | |
| 1968 | Taipan 61 R/C Mk 1 | 10cc | Glow | Resembles the 1967 Taipan 19 BB engine | |
| 1970 | Series 70 Taipan 1.5cc Diesel | 1.5cc | Diesel | Ball race engine. | |
| 1970 | Mk 11 Taipan "Series 70" 2.5cc Diesel | 2.5cc | Diesel | Ball race engine. | |
| 1970 | Taipan 61 Mk 2 | 10cc | Glow | More power | |
| 1971 | Taipan Tyro Diesel | 1.9cc | Diesel | The beginners engine | |
| 1972 | Mk 4 Taipan 2.5cc Glow | 2.5cc | Glow | Pylon Special | |
| 1972 | Taipan 3.5cc Glow | 3.5cc | Glow | Ball race version came in 1973 | |
| 1973 | Mk 5 Taipan 2.5cc Glow "Goldhead" | 2.5cc | Glow | AKA 15 TBR Schnuerle Goldhead | |
| 1976 | Taipan 40 | 6.55cc | Glow | R/C engine |
A line of Taipan diesel and glow marine engines were also produced in various sizes and configurations over the years. These are not detailed here. Details about these and all other Burford engines can be found in the book, Gordon Burford's Model Engines by Maris Dislers.
More information about Gordon Burford can be found at the following pages: